From April 25 to May 1, Niles North’s DECA chapter—one of over 3,000 participating schools nationwide—was away in Orlando, Florida competing at the International Career Development Conference.
DECA, or Distributive Education Clubs of America, is an organization that prepares aspiring business leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. DECA competitions are divided into written events and role-play events. Written events involve pre-prepared business plans or marketing strategies, which competitors submit as reports and present to judges. Role-play events test on-the-spot problem-solving, where participants receive a business scenario, prepare a response within a time limit, and present their solution.
For 23 qualifying students, it was the culmination of a year’s worth of work. When the DECA season begins, there are over 100 competitors within Niles North’s chapter. By the time the regional competition in January is done, that number is nearly halved, with 60 qualifying for the state competition. By the time that is over, only about twenty students qualify for the national competition. What remains is the best of the best—around twenty students who have put in nearly a year of dedication and business savvy into their respective competition.
The preparation can be nerve-wracking. Competitors are expected to have their presentation down to a tee, consisting not only of speech but body language, vocal inflection, etc. But after their hard work, members got the chance to decompress and enjoy the sun and tourism of Central Florida. The chapter got the chance to go to both Universal Studios and Disney World.
This year in particular was an emotional one for Niles North DECA. After twenty years with D219 DECA, Head Advisor Jean Attig is retiring. “It was exhilarating, but it was sad. I was excited to take so many students—23 kids was probably the most Niles North has ever taken,” Attig said.
Closing off another successful year, DECA cements itself as one of the hardest-working and accomplished groups of students at North. Anyone enrolled in a business class is eligible to join the club. Whether you are already planning on pursuing business, or you just want to explore a future career path, consider joining Niles North DECA. You may just find yourself in Atlanta, Georgia for next year’s competition.
